Sewing machine



March 2 1926. A. B. FOWLER' SEWING MACHINE Original Fi e y 1919 10 Sheets-Sheet 1.

March 2 1926. 1,575,104

A. B. FOWLER SEWING MACHINE Original Filed Maya, 1919 10 sheets-sheet 2 March 2,1926.

I A. B. FOWLER SEWING CHINE ori inal Filed May 21, 1919 '10 Shoots-Sheet s m g A March 2 1926.

A. B. FOWLER SEWING MACHINE 10 Sheets-Sheet 4 Original Filed y 1919 March 2 1926.

A. B. FOWLER SEWING MACHINE 1O Sheets-Sheet 5 MM.M 44% wa .4 axe/ 45414 I l I l 1 l Lp riginal File-d May 21, 1919 March 2 1926.

- A. B. FOWLER SEWING momma Original Filed May-2J3 1919 10 Sheets-Sheet 6 March 2,1926.

A. B. FOWLER SEWING MACHINE Original Filed ay /1919 10 Sheets-Sheet 7 March 2 1926.

A. B. FOWLER SEWING IACHINE Original Filed y 1, 1919 10 Sheets-Sheet a March 2 1926. 1,575,104

A. B. FOWLER SEWING MACHINE Original Filed May 21 1919 lo et 9 March 2 1926.

A. B. FOWLER SEWING MACHINE Origihal File May 21, 1919 10 Sheets-Sheet 1.

Cal

Fatented Mar. 2, 1926.

ireo STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALFRED B. FOWLER, or BE ERLY, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR T UNITED SHOE MACHINERY CORPORATION, or PArEnsoN, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION OF NEVZ JERSEY.

SEWING MACHINE.

Application filed May 21, 1919, Serial No. 298,589. Renewed July 30, 1925.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALFRED B. FOWLER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Beverly, in the county of Essex and State 01 Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Sewing .Machines; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to sewing machines, and more particularly to curved hook needle sewing machines employed fol-sewing together the soles and uppers of shoes.

The present embodiment of the invention is designed especially to sew together the soles and uppers of turned shoes although, with slight changes, it may be employed for sewing the inseams of welted shoes.

Tl e primary object of the invention is to improve the construction and mode of operation of certain parts and devices of this class of shoe sewing machines. I

The features of the invention consist in the constructions, combinations and arrangements of parts hereinafter described and claimed, the advantages of which will be obvious to those skilled in the art.

The several features of the invention will be understood from the following description and accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a front elevation of the head of a shoe sewing machine embodying the features of the present invention in their preferred form; Fig. 2 is an enlarged front elevation, partly in se tion, of a portion of the head of the machine illustrated in Fig. 1; Figs. 3 and 4 are detailed sectional views of a thread cutting and holding device of the machine, which sections are taken on the lines 3-3 and 4-4, respectively, of Fig. 2; Fig. 5 is a side elevation looking from the right, partly in section. and with a portion of the casing removed; Fig. dis a sectional elevation looking from the right and taken on a plane just to the right'of the needle segment; Fig. 7 is a side elevation looking from the left with a portion of the casing removed; Fig. 8 is a plan view partly in section of a portion of the head of the machine; Figs. 9 to 12, inclusive, are diagrammatic views showing in plan the successive positions which the needle, thread finger,-

and looper assume in the performanre of thelr cycle of operations, a portion of the sole and upper of a shoe beingshown in section through the plane of the seam; Fig. 13

' Fig.- 15 is a sectional view taken on the line 5-15 of Fig. 14 with a portion of the casing broken away; Fig. 16 is a view similar to Fig-.15 but with the parts shown in the positions which they assume during the normal operation of the machine; Fig. 17 is a plan view, partly in sect-ion, of the driving and stopping mechanism in stopping position; Fig. 18 is a view similar to Fig. 17 but with the low speed driving mechanism thrown into operation, Fig. 19 is a rear elevation, partly in section and with a por tion of the casing removed, of the driving and stopping mechanism; and Fig. 20 is a sectional view taken on the line 2020 of Fig. 19.

The mechanism illustrated in the drawings is provided with a curved hook needle, a needle guide, a thread arm, a looper, a main take-up, an auxiliary take-up, a back gage, a back rest or hunter and a tension wheel. all of which parts have the same general arrangement and mode of operation, except as hereinafter described, as the corresponding parts of the machine illustrated and dcscribcd in applicants pending application, Serial No. 254,104, filed Sept. 14, 1918.

The needle 2 is secured in the usual manner to a needle segment 4 which is pivotally mounted on a hollow shaft 6 and connected by a link8 to a cam actuated lever 10. The needle guide 12 is secured to one end of a shaft 14 that extends axially through the hollow shaft 6. An arm 16 is secured to the other end of the shaft 14 and its free end has a pin and slot connection with the forward end of alever 18, the other end of which lever is provided with a roll that engages a cam groove 20 in an oscillating lever 22 which is connected bya link 24 to the cam actuated lever 10.

In the illustrated machine, the thread finger 26 (Figs. 2, 5, 6 and 8) moves in the direction of thcline of feed outside of the l i i x 1 ii fei idil of a 01ml? balling ,1 I 7 ALIS.- perpendicular to i p ane uhich 1s tangent to the path of the selvlng P The thread $11 is ptc uied to the lower end of a tr 1 b 011 he upper. end of which ii is Seamed gear that meshes with lack teeth med on the forward end of hoii-lzontally sliding bar 3%. The bar 34 j med to 9 P he desired movement it) tilt. thread linger 26 by means of a roll on the rearend oi the bar which engages a cam groove 36 in. the. oscillating lever 22.

The looper 38 (Figs. 2, T and 8) is secured to the inner end of a lever ll); The lever 40 is actuated to move the looper in one direction by means of a slide 4 2 and is actuated to move the looper in a transverse direction by meansof a slideat r. The lever 40 is connected to the slide 42 through an arm. 46 secured to a pivoted stud 48 and having its free end pivotally connected to the outer end of the lever L0. To the pivoted stud 48 is secured a gear segment 50, theteeth of which are operative-1y engaged by raol: teeth 51 formed on the slide The slide 44; is connected to the lever i0 by means of a pin 52 secured to the: forward end of the slide and extending through an elongated slot in the lover. The slide 42 is operatively connected to a. cam actuated lever 54L ly means of an adjustable link 56, and the slide 44: is operatively connected to a cam actuated lever 58 by means of an adjustable link 60. The comoined action of the devices .ior actuating toe looper causes the looper to completely encircle the needle in such manner as to result in the formation. of a: chain stitch, the loop of which is tWlSIiDGCl through a complete turn. In, encircling the needle, the lcoper first passes the thread: across the plane of the needle outside oi? the-czrcle oi the needle. then acre s the plane oi the side of the circle oi the needle, and I in acr the plane. of the needle EKlO ot the c2 cc of the needle, The end is caused to completely encircle the needle before entering the hook so that when the needle retracts, a twist is formed in the l'lQifllQ loop. The, actuation of the thread 'lino'erin the direction of the line oi feed and in a horircntal plane ensiiu'es, such threading otthe needle in uniformly reliable n1ani V In lligs. 9 to 12 inclusive. are illus- "1 teed difierent relative positions assumed by the needle, looper and thread linger during the formation of a stitch. In. 9 theseparts arev shown just after the looper hesmade its first movement across the-plane oi? the. needle and outside of. the circle ot theneedle. in Fig. 10 thetln'eadhisshown con'iplotely encircling the needle. In Fig. ll

'thcpart. are shown just before the needle pulls the loop thiugh the previously torn'icd loop. Fig. 1 2 ghcwsthe' necdieg tliejlnnit 2? g l z pg stroke, and also in this tr avers ed bj t hi l a brdkep hne the path operations. Ooper Hung a W 018 of M0 1 iii i h thgthread finea un eilt toc t1orizontal plane or i 1e path or they a times between these parts and the sole of the shoe.

The main takeup of the illustrated machine comprises a thread truck 62 (Fig. 6) mounted on a lever 64 pivoted at 66 on the frame of the. machine. The lever 64; is actuated to move the thread truck in an are by means of a link 68l1aving one end pivoted on the lever 64: and its, other-end pivoted on a cam actuated lever 70-. From the thread truck 62 the thread passes over a thread truck 72 which is mounted on a fixed shaft or rod '24:. The truck 72 forms a part of an auxiliary take-up and this take-up also comprises lever 76 pivoted; on the rod 74. From tl'iefthread truck 72 the thread passes over a thread truck 80- mounted on the forward end of the lever 76 and thence through the looper. The lever 7 6 is acted upon by a spring 82, one end of which is secured'to the lever 76 and the other end to a screw 84. The spring 82 tends to raise the lever 76 until a projection 86 thereon. engages the lower end of an adjustable abutmentscrew 88. The tension of; the spring 82 may be adjusted, if desired, byadjusting the screw The thread. handling devices of the machine are so arranged and operated that the main take-up acts to, exert a stitch setting strain on the seam and draw oii thread for the next loop from the tension wheel 90, hereinafter described, when the needle is in its forward position and extending through the work. The main take-up then falls dunin g the thread measuring movement o'f'the thread arm, during the looping movement of the looper. and during the retract ing movement of the needle. As theneedle reaches the limit of its retracting movement, it exerts a pull on the thread to tighten the preceding loop, such pull tending to move the auxiliary take-up lever 76 away-from the abutmentserew 88v and plaeingthe auxiliary tension spring82undertension. To render the action of the main take-up, thev auxiliary take-up and the needle reliable. and uniit'ormv under all, conditions of sewing, means are providedv in the. machine illustrated in the drawings which. insure that the pull e1;- erted uponv the thread by the needle as it reaches t-he, limit; of its backward move ment. shallalwaysbe against the m auce offered by the spring 82 oi the BliXlllil-Yv' take-up and not against the. resistanceoiierejd bythe tension Wheel 90. To; this-end, the

main takeeup lever-Skis: provided with an extension 92, having a cam surface 9% which cooperates with a roll 96- on the auxiliary take-up lever 76 to maintain the thread truck 80 of the auxiliary take-up in a raised position during the latter portion of the taking-up stroke of the main take-up and during the first portion of the down stroke of the main take-up. This permits the auxiliary take-up to yield to the required extent, when the needle exerts a pull on the thread at the end of its retracting movement, without bringing up against a positive step.

In the illustrated machine the work is fed by means of a channel guide 91 (Figs. 1, 2, 5 and 8) which is provided with ratchetlike teeth for effective engagement with the work. A rectilinear movement is imparted to the channel guide which is similar to the movementimparted to. the channel guide of themachine disclosed in applicants pending application hereinbefore referred to. The channel guide is secured to an arm 98 depending from a feed slide mounted on the rod 74-. The feed slide is adapted to be laterally reciprocated' on the rod to advance and retract the channel guide and is adapted to be rocked on the rod to swing the channel guide transversely of the direction of feed toward and from the work. The meansv for reciprocating the feed slide 95 comprises a lever 100 (Fig. 8) pivoted at 102 on a stud secured to the frame of the machine. The forwardend of the lever is suitably-connected with the feed slide by an adjustable block and: slot connection and its outer end is provided: with a cam roll which engages a camv 10 1 on the main shaft of the machine. The rocking movement of the feed slide is accomplished by a lever 106, (Fig. 5). one end of which is forked toengage a squared portion of the feed slide and the other end of, which is provided with a stud or a cam; roll, 108 which engages a cam on the main shaft. The lever 106 is held from lateral displacement. by means of a headed stud 110 that extends through a transverse slot in the lever,

To provide for an. adjustn'ient of the chan nel guide transversely of the direction of feed, the lever 106 is made adjustable; To this end, the lever is made in two. parts, both of which are fulcrumed on a pin 112 so that by swinging the parts of the lever on the pin 112, the position of the channel guide, may be varied. The parts. of the lever are held in the desired adjusted position by: means, of a boltzlli which extends through a slot- 116 in one of. the parts and through an aperture inthe other part The illustrated machine is provided with a channel closingdevice 118 (Fig. 6): that acts to close the channel. duringthe; later part. of the forward. movement-of the needle and; raised: out; of; engagement with: the

work when the needle acts to: draw the loop through the channel, so that the closing of the channel does not interfere with the feeding of the work or with the proper drawing .of the lop through the work. The iechanism for actuating the channel closing device is extremely simple in construction and efficient in operation. This device is formedon the forward end of a lever 120 secured to a stud 122 pivotally mounted in the frame of the machine. The lever is swung to bring the channel closing device into engagement with the work by means of a torsion spring 12 i and is brought out of engagement with the work by means of a roll 126mounted on the rear end of the lever which engages a cam surface 128 formed on the under side of the link 8 through which the needle segment is actuated. The work engaging movement of the channel closing de vice is limited by the engagement of a lug 130 on the forward arm of the lever 120 with an adjustable abutment screw 132 secured to the frame of the machine.

The machine is provided with a back' rest or hunter, which comprises a roll 18% (Figs.

5 and 6) mounted on a forwardly spring pressed slide 136. The machine is further provided with a. back gage 138 which is connected as hereinafter described to a locking slide 1&0. The slides 136 and 140 and the means for locking them together may be and preferably is the same as disclosed in said pending application. The back gage is formed on the forward end of a back gage carrier 1 12 which is connected by a link 14 1 with the back gage locking slide 140; one end of the link being pivoted upon: a. stud 146 secured to the carrier 142 and its other end being pivoted on a stud secured to the slide 1st The back gage carrier is guided by means of a pin 150 secured to the frame of the machine which extends through a horizontal slot in the carrier. The free end of an arm 152' is also pivoted upon the stud 146 which arm is secured to a rock shaft 15 i. An arm 156: is pivoted upon the shaft 156i and is connected to the arm 152 by a torsionspring 158 which is normally under no tension. During the work piercing movement of the needle 2, the back gage is caused to lightlyengagc the work and: is then pressed against the workunder increasing. pressure by means of a stud: 1.60 on the needle actuating link 8 which engages the arm 156 and through the torsion spring 158 and arm 152 thus -etuates the back gage. The back gage and back-rest are locked inengagement with the work at the limit of this stroke of, the needle and until. the needle returns to the limit of itsloop drawing stroke. In order thatthe back gage-may not interfere with the feeding of theiwork, means are provided for he" needle retracting tliei. backs-gage afterhas reached the limit of itsloop drawing movement. To this end, the rock shaft 1541 carries an arm 162, the free end of which is engaged by a lug 164E projecting from a sleeve 166 that is mounted to slide on a verti cal rod 168. A spring 170 is coiled about the rod 168 and is interposed between the lower end of the sleeve 166 and a collar 172 secured to the rod. When the back gage is unlocked at the limit of the loop drawing stroke of the needle, the spring 170 acts through the connecting mechanism to retract the back gage. As the torsion spring 158 is under no tension at this time it will not interfere with this action of this coiled spring and, also, as the strength of the coiled spring is considerably less than that of the torsion spring 158, the coiled spring will not interfere with the action of the torsion spring in advancing the back 7 gage during the work piercing stroke of the needle. It will be apparent that the upward movement of the rod 168 upon stopping the machine increases the tension ofthe coiledspring 170, which insures the complete retraction of the back gage at this time.

I The tension wheel 90 (Figs. 2, 6 and 7) hereinbefo-re referred to, over which the thread is passed in the usual manner, is secured to a short shaft 17 1 journaled in the machine frame. In order to provide the proper tension on the thread, the rotation of the shaft 17st carrying the tension wheel is opposed by a brake comprising a brake drum 176 secured to the shaft and over which passes a brake strap 178. The brake strap has one end secured to a stud 180 on the frame of the machine and its other end secured to a stud 182 on the free end of an arm 184; pivoted at 186 on the frame. The a-.i.i 18-1 is urged downwardly to maintain the strap 178 under tension by means of a spring 188 interposed between the top surface of the arm 18-1 and the lower end of a screw 190. The tension of the spring may be varied to vary the tension of the brake strap by adjusting the screw 190.

At a predetermined point in the final cycle of operations of the stitch forming devices before the machine is stopped, the tension of the brake strap 178 is released to permit thread cutting and holding devices, hereinafter described, to draw the end of the thread a considerable distance from the stitch forming devices so that the thread cutting and holding devices will not interfere with the removal of the shoe. To this end, at a predetermined point in the final cycle of operations, the rod 168, hereinbefore referred to in connection with the description of the operation of the back gage, is moved upwardly and by engagement with the free end of the tension arm 184: swings the arm aga nst-the action of its springlSS- to release the tension of the brake strap 17 8. After the machine is started and during the formation of the first stitch, the tension of the brake strap is maintained released in order to permit the thread to be freely drawn over the tension wheel by the thread handling devices. This isaccomplishcd by means of a latch 192which is snapped into engagement with the free end of the arm 184 when the arm is swung upwardly by the treadlc rod 168 as above described. The latch 192 is pivoted at 194 on the frame of the machine and is provided with a lug 196 adapted to engage the under side of the free end of the arm 18 1. The latch is swung towards the arm 18% by a coiled spring 198, the ends of which are fast to studs on the latchand arm. Near the completion of the formation of the first stitch, the latch is released and disengaged from the arm 184, to permit the arm to apply the brake, bythe engagement of a roll 200 on the lever with a cam surface 202 on the oscillating lever 22 hereinbefore referred to.

teferring particularly to Figs. 1 to 1', inclusive, the illustrated machine is provided with devices for cutting and holding the thread at the completion of the sewing. These devices are timed to operate so as to cut off the thread during the last cycle of operation of the stitch forming devices and to hold the end of the th ead leading to the supply until the machine is again set into operation. The machine is also provided with a stop mechanism which in cooperation with the thread cutting devices stops the machine with the needle in retracted position free from the thread.

The devices for cutting and holding the thread comprise jaws i and 206 which are carried by a lever 208 pivoted at 210 on the frame of the machine, the jaw 204: being formed on the end of said lever and the jaw 206 being formed on the lower end of a lever 212 that is pivotally mounted on the lever 208. A spring 213 having one end secured to the upper end of the lever 212 and its other end secured to a pin 214 projecting from the lever 208 tends to close the jaws. The mounting of the lever 2 2 on the lever 208 comprises a cap screw 215 which extends through apertures in said levers and is provided with a nut 216 on its end. The sides of the jaws are pressed together by means of a spring 217 coiled about the shank of the screw 215 and interposed between a side of the lever 212 and the head of the screw. The aws are provided with thread gripping surfaces 220 that are transversely inclined upwardly and outwardly and the jaw 206 is provided with ashearing edge 222 formed thereon. A plate 224 is secured to the inner side of the jaw 204: by means of a pin 209 and the screw 215 which extends through air-aperture in-theplate. This plate formed on the main shaft. her 288 is adapted to be shifted toward the the same as the corresponding parts illustrated and described in applicants pending application hereinbefore referred to, to which reference is hereby made for a detailed description of these parts.

The driving and stopping mechanism of the present embodiment of the invention includes a high speed driving mechanism and a low speed drivingmechanism. The high speed driving mechanism is adapted to drive the machine during the normal operation thereof, and the low speed driving mechanism is adapted to be thrown in when the high speed driving mechanism is thrown out, and is designed to act first to reduce the speed of the machine and then to drive the machine at a low speed to stopping position.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 14 to 20, inclusive, the high speed driving mechanism comprises a continuously driven pulley 280 loosely mounted on the main shaft 282 of the machine, which pulley is adapted to be clutched to the shaft by the engagement of afriction clutch face 284 on the interior thereof with a conical friction clutch face 286 on a clutch member 288 which is splined on the shaft.

The low speed driving mechanism comprises a spiral gear or worm wheel 290 which is journaled on a collar 292 secured to the shaft. The wornrwheel 290 is adapted to be clutched to the shaft by the engagement of a conical friction clutch face 294 on a clutch member 296 secured to the worm wheel, with a friction clutch face 298 formed on the in terior of the clutch member 288. The spiral gear 290 is continuously driven, through speed reducing gearing, from the high speed pulley 280. This gearing comprises a spiral gear or worm 300, secured to the forward end of a counter shaft 302, which operatively engages the gear 290. On the rear end of said counter shaft is secured a spiral gear 304 which engages a spiral gear 306 carried by a counter shaft 308. A spur gear 310 is secured to the right end of the counter shaft 308 and is operatively engaged by a spur gear 312 secured by screws 314 to'the pulley 280.

The clutch member 288 is urged towards the low speed clutch member 296 by means of springs 316 (Fig. 14) located in sockets in the member 288-and interposed between the ends of the sockets and a collar 318 The clutch mempulley 280 by means of a collar 320 which is splined on the hub of the collar 292. The collar 3 0 actuates the clutch member 288 through sliding pins 322 which extend through apertures in the collar 292. The collar 320 is provided with an annular groove 324 which is engaged by studs or rolls on a forked arm 326 secured to a rock shaft 328.- An arm 330 (Fig. 1) is secured a torsion spring 334 having one end connected to a lug on the arm 326 and its other end connected to the frame of the machine acts to shift the collar 320 to the left, whereupon the springs 316 are permitted torshift the clutch member 288 to throw out the high.

speed driving mechanism and immediately to. throw in the low speed driving mechanism. This movement of the collar 320 toward the left is limited by the engagement of a stop lug 336, secured to the arm 330,

with the lower end of a latch lever 338. At a predetermined point in the rotation of the main shaft, a cam 340 carried by the clutch member 288 engages the upper end of the latch lever 338, whereupon, the lever is swung out of engagement with the lug 336 which permits the torsion spring 334 to shift the collar 320 into position so that its further rotation will cause a lug 342 formed thereon to engage a lug 344 on a controlling cam block 346. The cam block 346 is normally stationary and is loosely mounted on the main shaft. The engagement of the lug 342 with the lug 344 results in the cam block being carried in unison with the main shaft for a predetermined part of one revolution, whereupon the collar 320 is shifted to move the lug 342 out of engagement withthe cam block. vancedposition by the engagement of a lug 348 thereon with the upper end of a spring actuated latch lever 350 pivoted at 352 on the frame of the machine.

The movement of the collar 320 out of engagement with the cam block is accomplished by means of a plunger 354 mounted to slide in a bearing in the frame of the machine which engages a block 356v adjustably secured to the upper end of the forward fork of the collar shifting arm 326. The plunger 1s actuated by the engagement of aroll 358 on the left end of the plunger with a cam 360 carried by a hand wheel 362 secured to the end of the main shaft of the machine.

The foregoing described advancing movem-ent of the cam block 346, through suitable connections, acts to raise the rod 168 and thereby release the brake connected with the tension wheel and to throw in the'clutch which operates the thread cutting and holding devices. 1

Tlae connections between the cam block When The cam block is held in this adnumber of degrees of rotation of the main and the rod 168 comprise a roll .365 which engages a cam groove in the cam block, which roll is mounted on the upper end of a lever 366 pivoted at 367 on the frame of the machine, and having its lower end connected by an adjustable link 368 with an arm .369 of a bell crank lever. The bell crank lever is pivoted at 370 on the frame of the machine and its other arm 372 is pivoted to the lower end of the rod 168.

At the completion-of a predetermined shaftafter the collar 320 is shifted out of engagement with the cam block, the collar is further shifted to the right a sufiicient distance to disconnect the low speed driving mechanism and to bring the clutch member 288 into neutral position whereby the machine is stopped. This additional movement of the collar 320 is accomplished by means of a plunger 374 mounted to slide in a bearing in the cam block, which plunger engages the upper end 3'76 of the rear fork of the collar shifting arm 326. This plunger is actuated by the engagement of a roll 378 mounted on the left end thereof with a cam 380 carried by the hand wheel 362. After the collar 320 is thus shifted by the plunger 374 to bring the clutch member 288 into neutral position, the. collar 320 is held in this position, until the driving mechanism is again thrown into operation by the operator, by a spring pressed latch 381' plvotally mounted on the cam block 346, which latch moves into a position to engage the adjustable block 356 as indicatedin Fig. 17. WVhen the machine is at rest, therefore, the Ina-1n shaft is free from any driving or braking mechanism and can be rotated by, hand by means of the hand wheel 362 asmay be ,de' sired.

will be noted that when the treadle rod 332 allowed to rise in stopping the machine the clutch mechanism is actuated to shift directly from the high speed to the low speed drive and that this shift from the high to the low speed drive may occur at any pointin the revolution of the main shaft. It will also be noted that this shift from the high to the low speed drive does not immediately bring the controlling cam block into operation but that the operation of the cam block is delayed until the main shaft has been driven by the low speed mechanisms for at least a predetermined 111" all. This result is accomplished by the pro. lion of the latch 838 and the cam 340 by which it is actuated at a predetermined point in the rotation of the main shaft. The latch can only be actuated when the low speed drive is in operation and the engagement of the lug 342 on the clutch shifting. collar with. the lug Sa ton the cam block 7 346 occurs a certain and definitenumber of degrees of revolution after the latch 338 has been operated. This insures a sufficient period of time between the throwing in of the low speed drive and the actuation of the controlling cam block to slow down the speed of the shaft to that of the low speed drive and thus the thread cutting and other mechanisms which are controlled by the cam are actuated while the machine is running at comparatively slow speed. The action of these mechanisms and particularly the action of the thread cutting and holding mechanisms is thus rendered certain and reliable regardless of the speed at which the machine is run during its normal operation in sewing a seam.

hen the treadle rod is depressed by the treadle mechanism to start the machine, a lug 382 pro'ecting from the lower end of the arm 3% engages an abutment screw 38% seiured to the lever 3550, thereby swinging the lever on its pivot to disengage the upper end thereof from the lug 34-8 on the cam block 3&6. This allows a torsion spring 386 ha ing one end secured to the frame of the machine and its other end secured to the cam block to return the cam block to its initial position. This retracting movement of the cam block, which is in a direction reverse. to that of the rotation of the main shaft, is limited by the engagement of a lug 388 on the cam block with a yielding stop or buffer. 390 on the. frame of the machine. This buffer comprises a lug projecting from theframe and a spring 392 having one end secured to the! lug. The retracting movement of the cam blocl' throughthe connecting mechanism depresses the rod 168 which movement of the rod brings the members for controlling the operation of the clutch, through which the thread cutting and holding devices are operated, into operative position.

During the normal operation of the machine the operator by varying the amount of pressureon the treadle mechanism may vary the, degree of frictional contact between the clutch faces on the clutch member 288 and the high speed driving pulley 280 and thereby vary the speed of the machine. In the illustrated machine it is also possible to throw in the low speed driving mechanism without throwing the stopping devices into operation, so that the machine may be drivenduring its normal operation the low speed mechanism. This may be accon plished by the operator releasing the treadle rod 332 only a sufficient amount to throw in the low speed mechanism and by maintaining the treadle rod in this position. By releasing the treadle rod sufiiciently to throw out the high speed mechanism without throwing in the low speed mechanism, the machine may be stopped by the resist- 21110601 its partswithout throwing into operation the mechanism for releasing the brake bin ation, stitch on the tension wheel. and the. mechanism for operating the thread cutting and holding devices.

Certain features of the machine herein described are not claimed herein, but form the subject matter of divisional applications. Thus, the mechanisms of novel and improved construction and mode of operation for actuating the thread linger and looper form the subject matter of application Serial No.

bodying the several features of the invention having beenspecifically described, what is claimed is:-'

1, An inseam shoe sewing machine hav ing, in combination, stitch forming devices including a curved hook needle, a channel guide, means comprising a two-part lever for moving said channel guide transversely of the direction of feed about a fixed axis, aud'means permitting an adjustment of the parts of said lever with relation to each other to adjust the channel guide in its path of movement transversely of the direction of feed about said axis.

A sewing machine having, in comforming devices including a hook needle, a looper, a thread finger, thread holding devices for holding the thread during the first cycle of operations, and means for operating said thread holding devices while holding the thread to give up thread to the thread finger during the first cycle of operations.

3. A sewing machine having, in combination, stitch forming devices including a hook needle, a looper, a thread finger, and means acting automatically upon stopping the machine to sever and hold the thread, and to give up thread to the thread finger upon starting the machine.

4. A sewing machine having, in combination, stitch forming devices including a hook needle, a looper, a thread finger, and means acting automatically upon stopping the machine to .sever and hold the thread, said thread finger being constructed and arranged to cooperate with the other stitch forming devices to form the first stitch after the machine is started.

5. A sewing machine having, in combination, stitch forming devices, driving mechanism therefor, thread severing mechanism acting during a cycle of operations of the stitch forming devices as the machine is stopped, and means for driving the stitch forming devices at reduced speed during the action of the thread severing mechanism.

6. A sewing machine having, in combination, stitch forming devices, driving mechanism therefor, thread severing mechanism acting during a cycle of operations of the stitch forming devices as the machine is stopped, and means under the control of the operator for rendering the thread severing mechanism operative and for driving the stitch forming devices at reduced speed during the action of the thread severing mechanism.

7. A sewing machine having, in combina tion, stitch forming devices, high and low speed driving mechanism therefor, means under the control of the operator for shifting to the low speed driving mechanism and for stopping the machine while it is being driven by the low speed mechanism, and thread cutting mechanism acting to cut the thread while the stitch'forming devices are being driven by the low speed mechanism.

8. A sewing machine havin n combina tion, stitch forming devices, high and low speed driving mechanism therefor, means under the control of the operator for shift-- ing to the low speed driving mechanism and for stopping the machine while it is being driven by the low speed mechanism, thread cutting mechanism, and means acting automatically to render the thread cutting mechanism operative at a predetermined point in the cycle-of operations of the stitch forming devices to cut the thread While the machine is being driven by the low speed mechanism 9. A sewing machine having, in combination, stitch forming devices, high and low speed driving mechanism therefor, thread cutting mechanism, means under the control of theoperator to throw the low speed driv mg mechanism into operation, means acting automatically thereafter to render the thread cutting mechanism active, and means for insuring at least a predetermined amount of low speed drive before the thread cutting mechanism is rendered active.

10. A sewing machine having, in combination, stitch forming devices, high and low speed drivingmechanism therefor, thread cutting mechanism, a treadle and suitable connections acting to throw the low speed driving mechanism into operation directly 011 a release of the t-readle, and means for insuring at least a predetermined amount of low speed drive and for thereafter rendering the thread cutting mechanism active.

11. A sewing machine having, in combination, stitch forming devices, high and low speed driving mechanism therefor, thread cut-ting mechanism, a controlling cam acting to render the thread cutting mechanism operative, means under the control of the operator to throw the low speed driving mechanism into operation, means acting automatically thereafter to render the controlling cam active, and means for insuring at least a predetermined amount of lOW speed drive before the cam is rendered active.

12. A sewing machine having, in combination, stitch forming devices, high and low speed driving mechanism, therefor,

thread cutting mechanism, a controlling cam acting to render the thread cutting mechanism operative, a treadle and suitable connections acting to throw the low speed driving mechanism into operation directly on a release of the treadle, and means for insuring at least a predetermined amount of low speed drive and for thereafter rendering the controlling cam active at a predeterminedpoint in the cycle of operations.

ALFRED B. FOl/VLER. 

